


Three Long Years...

by nextavatar



Series: The Legend of Korra Continues [1]
Category: Asami (LoK) - Fandom, Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Korra (LoK) - Fandom, Korrasami - Fandom, Mako (LoK) - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Korra/Asami Sato-centric, Korrasami - Freeform, Korrasami is Canon, Letters, Love Letters, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Republic City, Southern Water Tribe, korra/asami - Freeform, letters that will never be sent, what happened in those three years Korra was gone?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:34:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26839036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nextavatar/pseuds/nextavatar
Summary: When Korra left Republic City to heal from her injuries inflicted by the Red Lotus, life changed for Korra and Asami. Asami comes to the realization that she wants to be more to Korra than just a friend. Mako and Bolin are off doing their own things, saving the world and helping people, leaving Asami to deal with these realizations alone. Korra is still struggling to get back to her normal self, secretly wishing that Asami had come with her to the southern water tribe. Neither of them tells the other, but in the end, they both wish they had. As seen through letters, events and journal entries.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Series: The Legend of Korra Continues [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1969303
Kudos: 30





	1. One Year Later: Asami

**Author's Note:**

> Note: This is the first part of a post cannon LoK series. The next story will be a lot more interesting, but I really wanted to make a story that showed the kind of "beginning" of Korra and Asami's relationship.

_Monday, December 6 172 A.G._

_Today, I had a meeting with President Raiko and the city council. Ugh, I swear. I am grateful he and the city give Future Industries most of their business, but if I never had to speak to that man again, I would be all the happier. But... I digress. We discussed building some new roads and bridges throughout the city. It seems to be growing more and more every day. More than the current infrastructure can handle, anyway. Although I know that the President is only doing this so that he can boost his public standing (I despise helping him do it), I know that this would be a really big help to everyone. I have had some doubts about my future at the company, but I just keep on telling myself that what I am doing is helping people. That seems to keep going. Besides, I need something to keep my mind off of things since I haven't really been feeling myself lately._

_After the meeting, I went and grabbed dinner with Mako and Bolin. We went to try out this new place called Fan's Dumplings which was amazing!! It seems like every time I find my new favorite restaurant, another place pops up and becomes replaces that one! We will for sure have to take Korra whenever she gets back, if she gets back... The three of us haven't been able to hang out as much as we would have liked. Mako is busy with his new job as detective, I'm busy running Future Industries, and Bolin is, well, I'm not entirely sure what Bolin is doing. He said he was helping Kuvira bring order and peace back to the earth kingdom, which has been in disarray since the earth queen died. But whenever I ask him about it, he gets so excited and starts telling a million different stories about things he has done with Kuvira in command. He is super proud of the work they have accomplished. Both of them seemed to be happy with what they were doing. We all had fun. It was like old times. Well, almost like old times... With Korra gone, I don't know if things will ever go back to how they were._

_Its been almost a year since Korra left and things just don't feel right. I knew that when she left, things would change, sure. But it's all so much different than I thought it would be. I know it sounds irrational, but I can't really describe how I feel about it. Or maybe I just don't know what these feelings mean. I thought that it would get easier the longer we were apart. But its as if every day she is gone, this feeling, this... I don't even know what it is, gets worse. I know that we are good friends, great friends, but why does it all of a sudden feel like something... more?_

_I just wish she would write me back; it would make all of this so much easier. I mean, I get it, she is recovering and I in no way blame her for being focused on herself. No one wants her to get better more than I do. Considering everything that she went through, I know it will take time. But some selfish part of me just wants her to say something. Anything would do. Even if she just told me, "I'm fine", it would put my mind at ease. It would be so much worse if she was writing to Mako or Bolin and not me, but she hasn't reached out to any of us which really worries me. Maybe I should write to her mom to see how she is doing. Would that be too much? I don't want to overstep my boundaries or anything. I don't know. I think I will give her some more time and see what happens. More than anything I just wish I could be by her side and help her get better._

Asami sighed and set her pen down on her desk. "What is wrong with me?", she asked herself aloud as she buried her face in her hands. It was way past the usual time she would have gone to sleep, but these last couple of days she had been up late thinking about her friend. How Korra was doing, whether or not Korra had received any of the letters she had sent, if Korra ever thought about her. It was all playing on a loop in her head. She began writing in her journal again when she started having trouble sleeping. Writing her thoughts down brought her comfort when she was a girl after her mom died and she figured it could help her now. But it seemed like nothing she could do was helping her. Asami peered out of the open window in her study and looked at the stars twinkling in the night sky. She decided she needed to at least attempt to fall asleep so she would be well-rested for her meeting with Tenzin in the morning, so she closed her journal and placed it in its usual spot on her desk before making her way back to her room.

* * *

Asami stood outside of her family mansion waiting for Tenzin to arrive. She hadn't been able to sleep but three hours the night before and wanted nothing more than to be laying in her bed. No matter how much she wanted to forget her duties she knew, she had to see them through. 

"Where is he? _"_ , she yawned to herself as she looked at her pocket watch. As if on cue, Tenzin and Oogie descended from the sky to greet her.

"Sorry I'm late", Tenzin apologized, jumping off the sky bison's back. "Pema was having some trouble with the kids this morning." 

"It's alright", Asami assured him as she clasped the metal watch closed and put it back in her pocket. "Did you bring the sketches?"

Tenzin nodded his head and reached into Oogie's saddlebag, taking out several large scrolls. Just when she thought he couldn't carry anymore, he pulled out an envelope and handed it to Asami. "This was sent to us at air temple island from Tonraq and Senna. They asked us to pass it along." Asami grabbed the letter out of his hand quickly and stared at it. Even though it wasn't from Korra, it was something. She did everything she could to not look too eager to read it. 

"Is she okay?", Asami asked the air bending master.

"Her parents wrote to us to say she is doing as well as could be expected. There may be more in your letter, seeing as you too were such close friends." Tenzin shited the scrolls in his arms, struggling to keep them from falling.

"Here, let m help you." Asami put the letter into the inside pocket of her jacket where it would be safe until she could read it. She grabbed a handful of sketches from Tenzin and lead him back into the mansion.

"I know you are eager to read the letter", Tenzin told Asami as they walked through the long halls of Asami's home. "This shouldn't take too long. The council just wanted to get your input on our preliminary sketches before presenting it to President Raiko."

Asami's face went red. _Could he tell?_ she thought to herself. Luckily, she was in front of Tenzin so he could not see the embarrassed expression written on her face. "I will just read it once we are through", she told him calmly.

They had approached her office and Asami held the large wooden door open for her guest. Tenzin unraveled the sketches he had been holding and laid them out neatly on her desk before taking a seat. Asami did the same, saying, "Alright. Let's see what we have to work with."

* * *

As soon as Tenzin left, Asami ran to her room to read the letter from Tonraq and Senna. She sat on her bed and traced her fingers across the writing on the front of the parchment. _To Asami._ It was finally here, the thing she had been waiting so long for. But as she stared at the envelope, she found herself unable to open it. Her stomach was a twisted mess of nerves and every possibility of what the note could say swam through her mind. "This is dumb", she said aloud to herself after minutes of just sitting there. She broke the seal and proceeded to read the letter. 

_Asami Sato,_

_We are sorry that this letter is not from Korra herself. Our Korra has been through a lot this past year and still finds it difficult to get her thoughts down onto paper. Nonetheless, she wanted us to let you know how she was doing. Korra's condition is slowly but surely getting better. Her injuries are taking longer to heal than we anticipated, but each day she takes another small step towards recovery which is something we are all very grateful for. All things considered, she is doing just as well as you would expect._

_Secondly, we wanted to let you know that Korra has been receiving your letters. We are aware that she hasn't been responding to you all. As we said, it's been hard for her to get her thoughts down. But all of us here can see that all of the letters, especially your's Asami, help her to keep pushing forward. Her friends mean the world to her and she hates not being able to be with you, doing all of the great things you all are doing. But, as we said, they give her another reason to keep pushing. Sending her letters won't make her better overnight, and they won't get rid of the pain she feels, but every little thing helps. Most importantly, the letters help take her mind off of things, even if just for a short period of time. We know it must be hard, writing letters and never getting a response. But just know, Korra appreciates knowing that you all still care._

_Regards,_

_Senna and Tonraq_

Asami smiled and laughed. "This is such a formal note. Tonraq must have written it." Her smile faded as she clutched the note to her heart. A single tear fell down her cheek. Whether it was from joy or sadness, she could not tell. All that she knew was that Korra needed her, that she was helping. So she would keep on writing to her, whether she got a reply or not.


	2. One Year Later: Korra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra has been struggling to walk on her own for a long time now. The avatar can walk fine with the use of a crutch over short distances, but doing so on her own has seemed to elude her. She has been struggling to deal with the mental implications of her injuries, and Katara advises her to start writing in a journal. Getting her thoughts down seems to help a bit, but she finds herself thinking about Asami more than she anticipated.

_"_ I know its hard, dear", Katar told Korra. "But I really think that writing down your thoughts could help you." She handed the avatar a dark blue leather-bound journal that Korra reluctantly took.

"I've tried, Katara", Korra told the woman. "But every time I do, nothing seems to come out right."

Katara smiled at the young avatar. "I know you have tried to write back to your friends." She placed a hand on Korra's shoulder. "Keeping things inside yourself is not doing you any good, and it can be difficult to tell others how you feel if you yourself cannot find the perfect words to describe them. No one besides yourself will ever see what is written in this journal. It is all yours. You don't have to try to make things sound perfect. Just let your feelings flow out of you." Katara lifted her hand from the avatar's shoulder and looked out at the dark sky outside. "It's late. Get some rest." Korra set the book down on her desk in front of her and watched as Katara left her room.

"I don't know", Korra said to herself as she flipped through the empty pages of the book. "Maybe I can." She sighed and opened the drawer of the desk, reaching in to take out a pen. Korra flipped to the first page of the book and began writing.

_Katara said_

"Wait." Korra lifted the pen from the paper and wrote the date on the top of the page. She began writing again.

_Monday, December 3, 172 A.G._

_Katara said that I should start writing in a journal. I don't know if I can do this. She knows I have a hard time with these kinds of things. But I trust her, so I will at least give it a try. I guess I should start off by saying that I still can't walk on my own. I mean, I can use a crutch to walk short distances, but that's it. If I wanna go anywhere that isn't the house, I have to use a wheelchair. Mentally, I am doing a little bit better I guess. But I am still plagued by visions from the past. It seems like every night I-_

Again, Korra lifted her pen from the page, reluctant to finish the sentence. She scrunched her face in frustration but decided to continue.

_I still have visions and nightmares about the Red Lotus and the poison. I go back to that day and relive it in all of its awfulness. If it wasn't bad enough that they left me unable to walk or do anything I could before, they had to imprint the things they did to me into my mind! Will I ever be able to get it out of my head? I'm scared all the time, I get angry at little things, and I don't even feel like being around people half of the time. Even if I do get back to my old self physically, I'm fear that I won't ever get rid of these nightmares. I've started meditating, which seems to help a bit. Still, I'm scared that I won't ever... no, that I will have to deal with this for the rest of my life, alone..._

_I WISH IT WOULD ALL STOP. Why did this have to happen to me? I just want to be back with my friends in Republic City. I want to see Bolin, Mako, Tenzin, Pema, all the kids, even Lin. I miss having Asami to talk to about things. But I don't know if any of them would be able to understand this. I'm still weak, I can't even do anything on my own, and I still can't go into the avatar state. Maybe Asami would understand, she knows what it's like to lose a lot. But she has always been strong. How does she do it? Don't get me wrong, Mako and Bolin have lost a lot too, but it's different with Asami. Even after everything, I feel like she would be the most understanding of why I never wrote back. It was always easier to talk to her than the guys. It's not like I haven't tried to write them back. I have, I just can't seem to find the right words to say. It's just so hard, its like I don't have the strength to do it. How would I even start? "Hey guys, Sorry I haven't written back. I'm glad that you all are out living your best lives while I'm stuck here dealing with all of my trauma!"_

_I need to calm down. Besides, It's not like I don't enjoy reading their letters. It was hard at first, reading all the amazing things they are doing. But it's a little bit easier now that I have been making more progress. And I really do appreciate that they still try. It means that they care. It's just, I'm the avatar. I should be stronger than this. I should be helping them! It's just so frustrating that I can't do anything about it. I still like hearing about what they are up to, it helps me keep my mind off of things, if only for a little while. But it still makes me mad. Katara told me that I should be trying to get better for myself. And I am. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't trying to get better so that I could go back to helping people, to helping my friends. All of my life, I have been so proud to be the avatar. All I want to do is be the best avatar I can be. But as I am, I'm no good to anyone._

_I think about that day on the pier a lot when I said goodbye to everyone. Asami told me that she would go with me, but I insisted she stay. At the time, I didn't think I would be gone for more than a couple of months. Besides, I knew that she had to stay for her company. I feel selfish about it, but now I kind of wish she had come with me. Things might have been easier that way. But I couldn't do that to her. She doesn't need to be worrying about me AND her company at the same time. Asami probably doesn't even think that I care anymore. I should tell my parents to let her know I am okay at least. I wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to talk to me again after not speaking to her for so long. Why am I so focused on Asami?_

Korra stopped writing and looked at what she had marked down. Almost two full pages had been taken up by her first entry into the journal. "I guess I had a lot more to say than I thought", she said aloud to herself.

Korra closed the book and stashed it away in one of the drawers in her desk, placing the pen on top of it. She pushed herself up from the chair and using the edge of it for support, made her way into bed. Naga was already asleep on the floor next to her, her legs twitching as if she was chasing something in her dreams. Korra smiled at the animal and stroked its head softly. She blew the lit oil lamp out that was on the nightside table next to her and tucked herself in. As she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, she realized her mind was a little bit more at ease. It wasn't much, but it was something.

* * *

A knock came at Korra's door, startling her, waking her from sleep. She looked at the door and asked, "Who is it?"

"I have the mail for you, Avatar Korra." It was a young boy, one of the couriers in charge of hand delivering the avatar her mail.

Korra composed herself and threw the light grey covers off of her legs. She must have looked a mess after a long night of tossing and turning, but she didn't care. "Come in."

The courier opened the door to her room and entered with a single envelope in hand. He handed it to her, saying, "From Republic City." 

"Today?", she asked as she took the letter from the boy. It was unusual for her to receive letters during the weekend. "Thank you." The courier bowed to the avatar and exited the room.

She examined the letter and saw that it was from Asami. _I hope she is okay,_ she thought to herself as she opened the envelope and took out the letter.

_Korra,_

_I got the letter from your parent's a few days ago. They said that you are getting better. I was SOO glad to hear that! Just know that I will always be here for you for whatever you need. I know things have not been easy, but I believe in you. You are the strongest person I know, and not just because you are the avatar. You, Korra. You are strong. How have you been feeling and what have you been up to? Hopefully Naga isn't getting herself into too much to much trouble. Give her an ear scratch for me. Tenzin and I have been working with President Raiko to build some new roads and bridges. You'd never believe it, but the president has been such a pain to work with!_

Korra paused and laughed. "Nice to know he is still a pain."

_I joke, but seriously. He is still only thinking about his popularity with the voters. It's not easy but I guess we will just have to deal with it. But we are doing the city well, so I will manage. Spirits know we need better roads! You already know about the train station we are building, which has been going pretty smoothly (though I don't want to jinx myself). Anyways, I know you still need time. Just know that I miss you and I think about you every day. I can't wait to see you again._

_With Love,_

_Asami_

She set Asami's letter on the bed beside her and smiled. Asami wasn't mad at her for not writing back. She was always so understanding. Korra lifted herself up from her bed as steadily as she could and used the wooden crutch that was propped up on the wall next to her to walk over to the desk. She placed the parchment on top of the heaping stack of letters that sat in the corner of her room. The avatar thought for a second. That letter was a reminder that her friends weren't mad at her, so she placed took it from the stack and it in the drawer beneath her journal. 

Korra reached over the desk and opened the window which looked out to the city below her. The sun was just above the horizon of waves that surrounded her, it's light danced across the dark blue water. Icy air filled her room; something she missed while she was in Republic City. By the looks of it, it was just about time for breakfast. Korra started to get herself ready for the day. She pulled on a pair of baggy brown pants and a light blue sleeveless shirt. She then slipped on fluffy boots and made her way to the dining room.

* * *

Kya and Katara were already sitting at the table when Korra walked in. Breakfast hadn't been brought out yet, so the two were talking amongst themselves. When Kya saw the avatar come in, she rushed over and helped her sit down. 

"How are you feeling today?", Kya asked Korra.

"Better, actually." The day started off well when she got Asami's letter. Korra received letters from her friends all of the time, but receiving one from Asami so unexpectedly lifted her spirits more than usual for some reason. "Asami sent me a letter today", she told the two women.

"Oh, how nice!", Katara said excitedly. "What is she up to?"

"The usual. Her company is still working with the city to improve its infrastructure, which is great. Republic City really needs it. She said that she got the letter from my parents and was excited to know I was okay." Korra smiled. "She said she thinks about me every day." Kya glanced at Korra as she spoke of her friend so lovingly. "I was so worried that everyone would be furious at me for not writing them back, but I don't think they are. At least, I don't think she is."

"They understand", Kya told Korra. "We all do."

"Have you been writing in your journal?", Katara asked.

"Yeah, I have." Korra laughed. "No offense, I didn't really think it would work. But I think it is actually helping. I mean, I still have visions and nightmares, but I kind of feel... I don't know. Lighter." She paused. "I don't know if I can write them back yet though."

"Don't rush anything", Kya told her. 

Tonraq and Senna entered the dining room just as the food was being placed on the table. The two took their usual spots near their daughter. "How is everyone this morning?", Senna asked the three women.

"Good", they replied in unison.

"Looks delicious", Tonraq commented as he gazed at the bounty of food in front of him.

They began plating their meals from the delicious foods that sat in front of them. Korra piled steamed buns and pickled seaweed onto her plate. "So", she said while stuffing a bun into her mouth. "What do we have planned for today, Katara?"

"I thought we could try walking on your own today." Korra nearly chocked on her food.

"Katara, I don't know if I am ready for that yet", the avatar replied, wiping crumbs from her face.

"You've made great progress. You don't have to walk across the room just yet, but I think you are ready to take a few steps."

Korra closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You're the expert I guess."

"That's my girl", Tonraq shouted proudly. 

"Just don't take anything too quickly", Senna added worriedly.

"Don't worry", Korra assured her mother. "I won't do anything I think I can't handle."

Once the group had finished eating, Korra and Katara went to the healing area and began their session. Taking it slow, Katara helped Korra into the shallow pool that was in the middle of the room and bent healing water back and forth across her body. Korra closed her eyes as the glowing ripples moved across her body. After she was done, Katara bent the cold water from Korra's clothes and set it back into a bucket beside her.

"Do you want to try to take a few steps?", Katara asked.

"Um..." Korra thought for a second. "Sure." She stared down at her legs, begging them to cooperate in her head.

Katara lead Korra over to the end of the set of parallel bars and told her to grab onto one of them. She took the crutch from Korra's hands and walked a few paces in the other direction to the center of the bars. "Just like you did before, I want you to visualize what you want to do. Watch yourself take a few steps towards me by yourself in your mind, and then try to walk to me."

Unsure, Korra let go of the bar. Her legs began to wobble and buckle underneath her. She took hold of the bar. "I don't know", she said.

"Take your time", Katara told her calmly. "Close your eyes and think about what you want to do."

Korra closed her eyes and took a deep breath in through her nose. She pictured it in her head, lifting her legs and walking over to Katara without holding on to anything. "Okay", she said, exhaling through her mouth. Korra let go of the bar once more and wobbled, but this time she managed to regain balance. Slowly, she lifted her right leg and stepped forward. She planted it onto the ground and lifted the left one, taking a step forward. The avatar grinned ear to ear. "I did it", she shouted victoriously.

"You did", Katara said proudly. "Try taking a few more steps."

Again, the avatar lifted her legs and moved them in front of her, one by one, all on her own. When she reached where Katara was, she said, "I can do more."

"I don't know", the older woman told her. "You have already done so much. Best not to overdo it."

"I can do it", Korra protested. She walked around Katara and took a few more shakey steps towards the end of the bars. A wave of confidence had taken over her. Where it had come from, she didn't know, but she would use it while she could. Korra nearly made it to the end of the bars before collapsing to the floor.

"Korra", Katara shouted. Worried, the healer rushed over to the avatar thinking Korra was hurt. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw that Korra was smiling and laughing. "I did it", Korra shouted through tears of joy. She looked up at the older woman kneeling next to her. "I did it, Katara." 

Katara helped Korra up and handed her the wooden crutch. She enveloped the girl in a warm embrace and congratulated her. "You walked on your own." A tear rolled down her face. "I am so, so proud of you, Korra."

* * *

Kya was waiting for the two outside of the healing area. Korra stepped out of the room, beaming. "So I'm assuming it went well?", Kya asked. 

The young avatar nodded her head up and down. "I did it Kya", she exclaimed victoriously.

"It went very well", Katara told her daughter. "She made it further than I thought she could."

Kya folded her arms across her chest and grinned. "I knew you could do it, kid." She ruffled Korra's long brown hair, teasing the avatar.

Healing sessions always took it out of Katara, so she excused herself from the two to go rest. Korra was also exhausted, so Kya decided to escort the avatar back to her room. "You seemed pretty happy to get a letter from Asami this morning", Kya told Korra.

They turned down a long hall and Korra replied, "Yeah, I was." She chuckled. "It was a surprise. A good one."

"Are you two good friends?"

"Yeah. Asami and I got close a few years back", Korra said. "We did most things together. She is so easy to talk to and be around. I don't really have to worry about trying to act a certain way around her you know? She even tried to teach me how to drive, though I was never able to get the hang of it." She paused. "I would probably say she's my best friend, but don't tell the boys I said that."

Kya dragged pinched fingers across her lips. "Your secret is safe with me." They reached Korra's room and Kya opened the door for her. "I guess you miss her the most, huh."

Korra sat on the edge of her bed and set her crutch against the wall. She thought about it for a second. "Yeah, I guess I do. Why?"

"Oh, no reason", Kya said. "Get some rest, oh mighty avatar." The woman smiled and closed the door behind her. Korra plopped her head on her pillow and closed her eyes to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kya knows! She can sense the bisexual awakening!


	3. Should I Tell Her?

Korra was finally coming back to Republic City, and no one was more excited than Asami. The engineer was the first to arrive at the pier early that morning, waiting excitedly for the avatar's boat to arrive. The person she cared about most in the world would be by her side again.

She was filled to the brim with joy and nerves. The joy that she would be able to see Korra's face in person after so long, that she would be able to hug the avatar. In the back of her mind, a terrible thought scratched at her brian. Would things be different between them? The avatar had gone through a lot since they had last seen each other and she knew that Korra would have to carry the trauma she experienced with her for a long time. What if Korra was mad at her for not being there for her? What if Korra thought that Asami didn't care anymore? No, Korra had to know Asami cared. She told the avatar so many times in her letters. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling. 

The rest of the group was quick to join Asami. Bolin, Mako, Lin, Tenzin, Pema, and the kids all waited with the engineer for their friend. The rest of the group seemed to ignore her, but Asami didn't mind. She was more than happy to keep to herself as she paced back and forth impatiently, all of the "what ifs" racing through her mind. 

It seemed like she had been waiting for an eternity when she spotted the massive white yacht out in the distance. In the blink of an eye, it had docked at the pier and Korra was waiting on the deck to come and greet everyone. She smiled that cute little grin that Asami had missed so much and looked directly at the engineer. Any thoughts about Korra being mad at her drifted into the wind as Asami stared softly back at her avatar. As soon as the bridge from the deck to the pier was lowered, Korra ran to Asami.

"Korra", she said excitedly. "I-" Asami was interrupted mid-sentence when Korra threw her arms around the engineer and pulled her close. The avatar lifted her head up, bringing her lips to Asami's in a heated kiss. Without hesitation, Asami embraced Korra and pulled her in even closer, struggling to close the non-existent gap that was between them. It felt like they were the only two people in the entire world. No one else mattered. Noting else mattered. The only thing that existed was this moment. The avatar smiled into the kiss sending hundreds of butterflies swarming in Asami's stomach. She never wanted it to end.

Korra pulled her lips away and buried her head into Asami's chest. The wind blew through the avatar's chestnut brown hair brushing loose strands ever so gently across her lips. Asami grinned ear to ear and kissed the top of Korra's head. Korra looked up and told her, "I have wanted to do that for such a long time." 

Asami jolted forward in her bed. She brushed her fingertips across her lips and realized it had all been a dream. "No", she wept, tears trailing softly down her face. "It wasn't real." She hugged her knees closer to her chest and buried her face into the burgundy sheets. Her heart ached, longing to go back to the girl she loved so much. It felt like losing Korra all over again. Salty tears stained her sheets as she sobbed into them, her desperate cries echoing through the mansion. Asami was no longer confused about her feelings for Korra; she loved her.

* * *

Once she had cried all that she possibly could, Asami ran to her study and pulled out her journal. She flipped to the next blank page and began to write.

_Friday, June 18, 173 A.G._

_I love her. That's why this has all been so hard. A piece of me is missing because I love her and she is gone. It terrifies me, but I don't really care. I don't know how I didn't realize it sooner; I guess I just never even thought it was possible. But I love Korra. I love her so much. The way I feel about her is so much more intense than anything I have ever felt for anyone before._

_I had a dream about her last night. She was back in Republic City and she was so happy. I was so happy. As soon as she got off the boat to come to greet us all, she ran to me and... she kissed me. And not just some little kiss. She KISSED me. And I kissed her back, I didn't even hesitate. I just held her in my arms and I kissed her back in front of everyone. I woke up and my heart ached because it was all just a dream. I just laid there wishing that I could go back to that moment. What does this even mean for us? Is it so bad that I love her though? I miss her smile, the way she smirks that cute little grin, her laugh, the way her warm blue eyes sparkle in the moonlight. I miss just being around her. I miss the way the energy in a room changes as soon as she walks in. I hate all of this!_

_I haven't ever considered that I could ever be into a girl in this way. Although, now that I think about it, it might not be so surprising. I mean, there were all those times with Una when we were kids when we would hold hands while walking to school and I would always get butterflies in my stomach. I just assumed that that happened to everyone! I feel like the fact that I even remember those times after these many years should have told me that I am attracted to girls. Did I just never consider it because it is the "standard" for girls to be attracted to guys? Before everything happened, we used to do everything together and I was so happy and excited every time that I got to see her. When I was taking care of her those few days before she left, I wanted nothing more than to stay by her side and continue to help her. Did I like her back then too? I think I did..._

_I can't tell her about this. Not yet at least. What if I write to her telling her I have feelings for her and I scare her off!? For now, I have to keep this to myself. More than anything, I just want her to come back to me. Mako, Bolin, and I are going out for dinner tonight; it's one of the few times we will all be in the same city at the same time. Hopefully, it will help me keep my mind off of things._

* * *

Asami made the finishing touches to her outfit and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The dazzling red dress she wore cascaded down her body perfectly. It was embellished with small golden flowers embroidered into the fabric which matched the earrings and locket she wore. Asami twirled around on the soles of her black heels and admired her work. Outside, Mako beeped the horn of his sato mobile to let Asami know they had arrived to pick her up. She grabbed a small clutch and looked into the mirror once more. _You can do this,_ she told herself before running downstairs to meet her friends.

"Come on, Sato", Mako shouted from the driver's seat. Bolin had his head poked out of the front passenger window and watched as Asami ran down the marble stairs towards them.

"Asami, you look amazing", Bolin complimented his friend.

Asami opened the back door of the car and climbed in. "Thanks. I love the green suit, Bolin. And Mako, I see you matched your pocket square with your scarf. Thats a nice touch." She was trying her hardest to put on a happy face. "So, where are we going?"

Mako put the car in gear and drove away from the mansion. "Bolin, stick your head back in." His brother still had his head out of the window. Bolin huffed and pulled his body back into the vehicle. "We are taking you to this place called Tijuan's Noodle House. It's new, we've never tried it. But the guys back at the precinct say its fantastic." He looked back at Asami in the rearview mirror and asked, "Hey, why didn't you wear that gold pin you have. It would have matched your outifut perfectly."

"Since when have you paid any attention to fashion", Bolin mocked his brother, illiciting a disappointed grumble from the fire bender.

"Oh, that", Asami said softly. "Yeah, the pin would have gone with this outfit, but I don't have it anymore."

Bolin turned in his seat so that he was facing Asami in the back and held on to the headrest. "Oh no! Did you lose it?", he asked.

"No, nothing like that", Asami told him. "I gave it to Korra when she left. I knew she would be gone for a while, and I wanted her to have something to remember me by."

"Thats nice", Bolin told her. 

A car cut into traffic in front of them. Mako had to swerve out of the way to avoid a wreck. "Watch it!", he shouted at the distracted driver. "Man, I cannot wait for all of the new roads to be finished", he told the two passengers. 

"They will be done soon, hopefully." Asami rubbed the bridge of her nose. "If Raiko would stop pushing back our timelines, things would go much quicker."

"That guy is the worst", Bolin mumbled.

"Yeah, he kind of is", Mako agreed.

Asami looked out of the window at the cars passing by. The city was beautiful at night. The streets were lit up by lamps and store fronts, still so full of life even at such a late hour. She mindlessly put her hand on the seat next to her and was reminded that the fourth member of their group was missing. No matter how hard she tried, Asami could not stop herself from thinking about Korra. The engineer sighed and pressed her head against the cold window.

Bolin felt his friend's sudden change in mood. "Hey, whats wrong?", he asked.

Asami hadn't anticipated he would notice and was startled by the question. She quickly came up with a lie. "Just thinking about all the things we have to get done for the bridge project before the end of the month."

"Well, we can get your mind off of that", Bolin said excitedly. "Just relax and have fun with your old pals tonight."

Asami laughed. "Okay."

* * *

They finally arrived at Tijuan's Noodle House, which looked much nicer than Asami was expecting. The three of them got out of the car and Mako handed the keys to the valet who gave him a little slip of paper with the number '63' printed on it. He stuck the paper in his pcoket and lead Bolin and Asami inside. 

"How are we going to get a table?", Asami asked. The place was packed, she couldn't see a single empty table anywhere.

Bolin grinned. "Don't worry. I pulled a few strings and got us the best table in the house." He walked confidently over to the hostess stand, both hands behind his back and his head tilted up. "My fair lady", he said to the young woman behind the podium. "We have a reservation under the name, 'Sir Bolin' for three."

The hostess glanced at the notepad in front of her and found his name. "Ah, here you are." She picked up three menus and escorted the group to their table.

Bolin was right, it was the best table in the house, sat at the end of a large window looking out onto Republic City Park. They could see the giant fountain in the center of the park all lit up perfectly from where they were. "Wow", Asami said as she admired the view.

"What did I tell ya", Bolin said, nudging his elbow at his friend. "I've got connections."

They sat down at the table and the hostess placed their menus in front of them. "Can I get you all something to drink while you wait for your server?"

Asami opened her menu and skimmed the list of drinks the restaurant had available. "I'll take a bottle of the Omashu '68 red."

"I'll just take some water", Mako said. He really could use a drink after a long day at work, but he knew he needed to be responsible since he was driving.

Bolin scratched his chin as he pondered his options. "I'll take some peach VarriSoda." He leaned over to Asami and whispered. "Varrick says this stuff is supposed to be great."

The hostess took down their orders. "Great. I will have these out for you all shortly." She smiled and went to the kitchen to grab their drinks.

Mako flipped through the glossy pages of the menu to look at the dinner options. "Wow, they have spicy roasted turkey-duck noodles with mushrooms and stewed cabbage. I've never seen that before."

"Sounds good", Bolin said. "But I think I am going to get the sea weed noodles with some braised turtle-duck."

"Bolin, you always get sea weed noodles", Mako told his brother. "Try something new."

"I have never had their sea weed noodles with braised turtle-duck before, so it is new." Mako sighed and shook his head. "Asami, what are you going to get?"

Asami was lost in her own world and hadn't really looked at any of the options yet. "I don't know", she said. "There are too many to choose from. I think I'm just going to get whatever the chef recommends."

An older man approached the table holding a tray of drinks above his head. "Welcome to Tijuan's Noddle House. My name is Xiu and I am going to be looking after you folks tonight." He lowered the tray and placed Mako and Bolin's drinks before them. For Asami's wine, he set up an ice bucket at the edge of the table. He popped open the bottle and poured a small taste for Asami to try. "Omashu '68 red", he said as he handed her the glass. 

She raised the cup to her lips and took a sip. "This is perfect." Xiu poured the rest of the glass and handed it to her before setting the bottle in the ice bucket.

Xiu pulled out a note pad from his apron and grabbed the pen that had been resting on his ear. "So, do we have any questions, or do you already know what you would like?"

"I'll have whatever the chef recomends", Asami said.

"Great choice", Xiu said as he scribbled on the notepad. "One order of pan-fried noodles. It's one of our most popular dishes. And for you two."

"I will have the seaweed noodles with braised turte duck", Bolin told the waiter.

"And I'll get the spicy roasted turkey-duck noodles."

Xiu finished taking down the orders and placed the pen back behind his ear before taking up the menus. "If you need anything, just let me know." He placed the tray under his arm and walked back to the kitchen.

"So, what have you been up to since we last saw you?", Mako asked Asami.

"Same thing. Although we did just finish building the main terminal for the new train station." She took a sip of wine, careful not to smudge her lipstick. "I may be biased, but it came out better than I even imagined it could."

"Oh, come on", Bolin interjected. "You gotta give us more than that. Its been almost five months since I last saw you." Of course there was more Asami had to tell them, but she couldn't do it. Not right now.

Asami took another sip of wine. "There really isn't much to tell", she tried to reassure them. "Besides, I know you two have been up to all kinds of interesting things."

"Well, I did just bust the Red Monsoons last week", Mako said proudly. "It was one of the biggest busts of the year. I might be looking at a promotion. Beifong was really impressed."

"I've been working with Kuvira and Varrick to bring food and supplies to towns that need it. We have brought back security to more than half the nation now!" Bolin paused to take a sip of his peach VarriSoda. "Just last week, we stopped a gang of bandits from stealing all of the grain from this little town in Zhou. This little girl gave me a flower and thanked us for helping. It was so adorable."

"What about you and Opal?", Asami asked.

"Yeah, its hard having a long distance relationship, but we make it work. She and the other air benders have been helping us any way they can, so I get to see her sometimes. But we write to each other a lot."

"What about you, Asami?", Mako said.

Asami looked at Mako confused. "What do you mean?"

"You have any special man in your life?", Mako clarified.

Asami nearly spat her wine across the table. It was an especially unusual question for him to ask, all things considered. "Are you really asking me, your ex-girlfriend, that?"

Mako laughed. "Oh, come on. We both know we are over each other. Friends are all we are and ever will be." He paused and leaned forward. "So?" Bolin looked over at his brother with just as much confusion as Asami did.

Asami's cheeks turned red as she poured another glass of wine. "Nope", she replied quickly.

Before they had to venture down that road any further, the waited came to Asami's rescue by bringing over their dinner. "Enjoy", he told the group before leaving again.

* * *

The three friends continued to talk over their amazing meals. Once again, Asami had found her new favorite restaurant and promised herself she would take Korra there one day. She was having such a good time with her friends that she nearly forgot about missing Korra. It was almost like old times.

When they were finished, Bolin paid the bill, saying it was his treat since he was the one that was gone all the time. In all, Asami had downed five glasses of wine in less than two hours. Bolin and Mako were both stunned as to how well she could handle herself afterward. She took the rest of the wine back home with her, deciding she would enjoy later. Mako drove them back to her house and made sure Asami got it into her house okay before driving off. 

Asami poured herself another glass of wine and drew herself a nice, warm bath. She stepped in and laid back, the steam from the hot water relaxing her body. It was the perfect ending to a day that had been so stressful otherwise. After almost half an hour of soaking, Asami got out of the tub and dried herself off before changing into a pink silk robe and nightgown set. She was almost ready for bed, all she needed to do now was write her nightly journal entry.

She made her way into her study and opened up her journal. Since she started writing again, Asami had written in it each night. She began to make another entry below the one from the morning but stopped herself. _Maybe I should write Korra. Tell her how I feel..._

Asami downed her last glass of wine and wiped the grape juice from her lips. She took out a piece of paper from her drawer and stared at the blank page, her vision becoming fuzzy. Asami shook her head and began to write.

_Dear Korra,_

_How are you doing? I'm fine. The boys are great. I just got back from dinner with them. We tried this new noodle place, which was fantastic! I may have had one too many glasses of wine, but who doesn't deserve to cut loose every once and a while. You and I will definitely have to go together once you get back. I know that I wrote to you a couple of days ago, but I had something on my mind that I think I need to tell you. I feel like a piece of me is missing. Nothing is the same without you here. When you left, I knew I would miss you. But I miss you so much more than I can even put into words. As each day passes, this gaping hole in my chest gets bigger and bigger._

Asami lifted the pen from the paper and rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes, trying to better her focus. She thought about how she should tell Korra. Should she just come out with it outright? Maybe that was the best option.

_Well, I just need to come out and say it I guess. Since you've been gone, I've realized just how much you mean to me. I've had all these weird feelings that I haven't really ever had before. And I couldn't figure out what they meant or what they were until recently. But, I love you Korra. I want to be more than just your friend. I want to take you out on dates, lay in your arms at night, wake up next to you in the morning, comfort you when you need to be comforted. I want to be with you, as your girlfriend. I didn't know if I should tell you because you already have so much to worry about. And I really don't want to add any stress to your life. I'm worried that if you don't feel the same way, I will scare you off and you will never come back. But, more than anything, I think that you deserve to know the truth. The past two years have been some of the hardest years of my life. They have probably been the hardest of yours too. Even if you don't feel the same way about me, let me come and be by your side. I will drop everything. I don't care nearly as much about my company as I do about you. You are the most important thing in my life. Let me be there for you like I was before you left. I will do anything you ask me to do, anything at all. Just, I want to help you Korra. It hurts my heart when I think about you down there all alone. I realize you are with your family, but I know more than anyone that sometimes it's harder to tell them things or ask them for help. Sometimes, you just need a friend to be there for you. Please, Korra. I miss you. I love you._

_With so much love,_

_Asami_

Asami held the note tightly to her chest, hugging it as if she was hugging Korra. _I love you Korra,_ she thought to herself as tears began to pool in the corners of her eyes. A single droplet fell from her cheek onto the paper, smearing the last sentence. Looking at the smudged 'I love you' sent her over the edge. She balled up the paper angrily and threw it into the trash. There was no use holding it all in anymore. Asami broke down and fell to her knees, allowing all of her emotions to come pouring out.

After a few mournful minutes, Asami wiped the tears from her face with the edge of her sleeve. She picked herself up off the floor and somberly walked over to the trash bin. Maybe one day, far in the future, under happier circumstances, she could give the note to Korra. Whether or not Korra loved her, Asami would want to tell her friend the truth. She grabbed the note from the bin and attempted to flatten it out. From her desk, she took the journal and placed her confession in between the morning's entry and the blank page next to it. _One day_ , she told herself. _One day, I will tell you._


	4. The Avatar State

It had been a little over two and a half years since Korra had traveled to the southern water tribe. Though she could get around by herself perfectly fine and her bending ability was almost back to what it had been, going into the avatar state alluded her. In Korra's mind, every time she made some sort of progress, the next step in healing pushed her back another step. The young avatar couldn't seem to catch a break.

Korra stood in the middle of the training area by herself, preparing to practice her bending. It was early in the morning, the rest of her village still asleep. The world that surrounded her was quiet; the silence only interrupted every so often by the faint whistle of wind that blew in from the ocean. She lowered her body into a horse stance and punched both fists in front of her, throwing heated balls of fire with each quick motion. After a few minutes of warming up with fire fists, Korra set up three practice dummies in front of her. Each one was about the size of a person with targets painted on what mimicked someone's chest. She took a deep breath and threw her right fist across her body, sending a long stream of fire at the middle dummy. The cloth and hay that encompassed it burned and smoked under the heat of the budding flames. Using her left hand, she repeated the motion and aimed another strike of fire at the target to speed up its destruction. The practice dummy became totally enveloped in red and crackled under the heat of the dancing flames. Korra twirled her arms in circular motions, controlling the air around the fiery object so that it was surrounded by a large orb of quickly moving wind. Flecks of ash and ember were torn from the dummy and sucked into the vortex that was at the will of the avatar.

She ceased her circular movement and took a deep breath in. Fire bending had been able to easily master while healing, but air bending was still a bit tricky. As she exhaled, Korra abruptly threw her arms apart parallel to the ground. The ball of air burst in the direction of the other two dummies, spitting out embers onto the other targets and setting them aflame. "Yes!", Korra shouted as she jumped into the air in celebration. Finally, a completely successful attempt at redirecting air in the directions she desired.

A thin layer of ice had formed on the ground beneath her from the refreezing of morning dew. It began to melt under the burning targets, creating pools of water at their bases. Korra calmly extended her arms and rhythmically swayed her body back and forth. The water moved from side to side until it formed a singular cohesive glob. She lifted the water from its source onto each dummy and extinguished the flame. As the cool water met the targets, steam sizzled into the air. 

_Alright,_ Korra thought to herself. _Water, fire, and air. Now earth._ She lowered her body into a squat so that her arms were bent to her sides and her legs were bent in perfectly ninety-degree angles. The avatar's usual bending style was unique in that she incorporated all bending forms into her's regardless of what she was doing, but she figured it would be easiest to go back to the basics. Korra punched her arms up and raised a column of earth from under the practice dummies, lifting them high into the air. 

Although the avatar had not fully healed from her injuries, the successful use of all four bending types gave her hope that she could go into the avatar state. She decided to meditate on the edge of a glacier, taking Naga with her. The two were far away from the village, no one would know where she was or what she was doing for quite some time. But it eased her nerves knowing there would be no pressure from anyone but herself. Her past failed attempts added to her mental torment even more; the last thing she needed was even more stress on the situation.

Korra sat, legs crossed and eyes closed in meditation, trying to ease herself into the avatar state for some time. After ten minutes, she decided she was calm enough to try and reach the avatar state. Out of no where, the young avatar began to see vivid flashbacks of the day she battled the red lotus. The poison that had been forced into her skin, being chained up like an animal, the fight between her and Zaheer, the helplessness she felt as she laid in her father's arms. All of the terrible memories flashed before her eyes. She scrunched her face and grabbed the sides of her head. "No!", she shouted.

In an attempt to stop the visions, Korra shook her head side to side fiercely. She opened her eyes and tears trickled down her face. The visions had stopped, but the memories and her own failure to go into the avatar state lingered in her mind. She buried her face into her chest and wept. Naga jumped up and ran over to her, licking her face to try to make her master feel better. Korra wiped a tear from her cheek and laughed half-heartedly.

By the looks of it, Korra had been gone for well over an hour and people would be worried. She jumped onto the polar bear dog's back and they made their way to the palace.

When Korra arrived, Senna and Tonraq were outside waiting for her. "Korra, where have you been?", Senna asked her daughter. "We have been looking for you all morning! Everyone was so worried!"

Korra hopped off of Naga's back and looked at the floor. "I was just meditating", she said softly. Her parents could feel the melancoly in her voice.

Tonraq put a loving hand on Korra's shoulder. "Were you trying to go into the avatar state again?"

Korra sighed. "Yeah..."

"You just need more time, Korra. It will be alright", Senna told her daughter. "Don't push yourself too hard. You can't rush these kinds of things."

Frustrated, Korra lashed out at her parents. "You two have no idea what it's like! Feeling so weak, so powerless. The one thing I should be able to do, I can't. Even if I am physically okay, my mind is always turning against me. And there is nothing anyone can do to help me with it!"

Senna approached her daughter and began to say something, but Korra pushed her away. "I just need to be alone for a bit", Korra told her mother. She took her polar bear dog and went back to her room. 

* * *

Korra pushed the door to her room open and shut it hard behind her in frustration. Someone had placed a stack of letters on her desk. In all that had happened, Korra nearly forgot that today was mail day. She walked over to her desk and looked at who the letters were from. One was from Bolin, one from Mako, and one from Asami. Naga laid beside Korra as she sat at the desk and opened the first letter from Asami.

_Korra,_

_I have great news for you! The city has been thinking about renaming the park for some time now, and I convinced them to rename it after you! It will no longer be called Republic City Park. From now on, it will be known as Avatar Korra Park. You have done so much for the city and the world. I figured it was long overdue. I even commissioned a statue of you to be placed in the center of the park. How are you doing? I hope that you are feeling well. We have finished building the rail system and all of the new roads and bridges have been completed. You wouldn't believe how much the traffic has improved around here. It is almost a miracle! My dad has started writing me letters... Why he just all of a sudden thinks that we are on speaking terms, after everything that he did, is beyond me. I mean, he worked beside Amon to hurt all of those benders, to hurt you. Oh well, best just to ignore it since I don't owe him anything, right? I wish you were here so that I could tell you all about it in person and show you around the new park. I miss you so and I hope to see you soon!_

_Asami_

Korra placed the letter down. "That's nice of them", Korra said to herself in regards to the park. She opened Bolin's letter and began reading it.

_My dearest Korra,_

_I have witnessed many a full moon come and go as I await your return. The Lady Kuvira and I have had a most splendorous time bringing order and safety back to the nation. Sir Varrick and Madame Zhu Li have trapped themselves in their work as they attempt to achieve clean energy through the use of spirit vines. Our fearless leader knows no bounds as to the betterment of our society. Master Pabu and I miss you every day as our love for you continues to grow. We long of the day when our eyes can gaze upon yours._

_Love,_

_Bolin_

"Nice to know he is just as theatrical as ever", Korra said as she stroked her polar bear dog's head. Naga lifted her head so that Korra would scratch behind her ears and wagged her tail in delight. She set Bolin's letter down next to Asami's and opened Mako's.

_Korra,_

_I am happy to report that the chief has finally decided to give me a promotion! Prince Wu, the late earth queen's nephew, will be coming to Republic city in a few months for his coronation. While he is here, I have been assigned as her personal security detail. What did I tell you? All this hard work is finally paying off. I don't know much about the prince, but I'm sure we will get along just fine. How are things down there? I haven't heard anything from anyone about how you are doing, so I hope you are doing well. Anyways, I can't wait until you get back to Republic City._

_Mako_

Korra took all the letters and placed them on the stack next to her desk. Each of her friends was just waiting for her to get back, and that hit her hard. With all that had happened and all she was feeling, she needed to write her thoughts down to clear her head. Korra grabbed her journal and a pen and began writing.

_Wednesday, June 14, 173 AG_

_Tried to go into the avatar state again today, which was definitely not a good idea. I was confident in myself at first since I could bend all four elements perfectly, but when I tried to meditate and reach it, I started seeing them again. It was so frustrating and disheartening. When I got back home, my parents were worried, which was kind of my fault. I didn't really tell anyone what I was doing or where I was going. But in my defense, they would have just told me everything was okay and that I will get there one day. And that is exactly what happened when I got home! They are just trying to help, but I am sick and tired of people saying it will be fine. For once, I wish someone would just agree with me that everything is NOT fine._

_I don't need any more healing sessions. Physically, I am all better. It's really just the mental stuff that I have to work on. I don't have visions nearly as much as I used to; meditating definitely helps. But is there really any reason that I need to be here still? Everyone is waiting for me to come back to Republic City. Maybe I just need a change of scenery. Trying the same thing over and over again isn't doing me any good, so should I go back? Am I even ready?_

_Mako and Bolin seem to be doing the same thing. Asami got Republic City Park renamed after me, which is so sweet. Her dad has been writing to her. She didn't say much in her letter about it, probably because she didn't want to make me worry or anything. But I can tell it's all hard on her, no matter how hard she tries to hide it. If I did go back, we could both be there for each other. I could help her out with her whole "evil father" situation and she could help me with all of my mental stuff. I doubt she would tell me everything is okay every time I talk to her. We are alike in so many ways that I just know she would understand that I just need to vent without being told that it will all be fixed. Being away from her has been harder than being away from everyone else. Some nights, when I have nightmares, I just wish that she would be by my side. Having someone there to just hold me while I cry would make me feel a whole lot safer. I think I might be ready to write her back after all this time._

_You know, I talk a lot about her in these entries. Just thinking about her makes me feel calmer. But it also makes me miss her even more. Don't get me wrong, I miss everyone else a ton, but with her it is different. I don't really know why._

Korra lifted the pen and thought. Maybe a change of scenery was just what she needed. Being around her friends could help her mental health and she was so ready to see everyone again. There was no longer a need for her to be in the southern water tribe, but she wasn't sure if it was time to go back just yet. One thing was certain though, Korra had to write to Asami. 


	5. Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Korra finally writes Asami back, the two exchange a few letters before Korra leaves the southern water tribe for Republic City.

_Dear Asami,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written to you sooner, but every time I've tried, I never know what to say. The past two years have been the hardest of my life. Even though I can get around fine now, I still can't go into the Avatar State. I keep having visions of Zaheer and what happened that day. Katara thinks a lot of this is in my head, so I've been meditating a lot, but sometimes I worry I'll never fully recover. Please don't tell Mako and Bolin I wrote to you and not them. I don't want to hurt their feelings, but it's easier to tell you about this stuff. I don't think they'd understand._

_Korra_

* * *

_Dear Korra,_

_I was so excited when I received your letter! Please don't worry about anything; I don't at all blame you for not writing anyone back. Believe me, I know how hard talking to people can be sometimes. I'm so sorry that these past two years have been so hard on you. Often, I wish I could be there, helping you. I'm so glad to hear that you can get around fine on your own and I'm sorry to hear that going into the avatar state is hard on you. Honestly, I wish I knew exactly how to help you with that, but spirits know I am not a master on the subject. I wish I could say that it would be easy, but given everything that you have been through I doubt it will. Know that I will be here for you if you ever need anything. Katara might be right about you being in your own head. I suggest writing in a journal. I started doing it after my mom died and it helps way more than you would think, and I have been doing it lately given everything that's going on with my father. And don't worry, I won't tell Mako and Bolin anything._

_Asami_

* * *

_Dear Asami,_

_I know you don't blame me, but I feel like I still have to say sorry for not writing back sooner. It's really nice to be talking to you again. Everyone around me keeps on telling me that it will all be okay when they have no idea if it will or not. It was so refreshing to hear someone finally agree with me that everything is not fine. While trying to write you back, I forgot to mention how much I appreciated that you got the park renamed after me. And I am sorry that thing's with your dad are so difficult. I have been writing in a journal for some time now, and you are right. Writing and meditating hasn't solved everything, but it definitely helps. I've been working on my bending and I can't say that I am completely up to where I was before, but my control is definitely a lot better. What have you been up to? Aside from trying to get back to my normal self, things around here have been pretty quiet. I see Kya and Katara a lot. Most of the time they join us for dinner and breakfast. Kya keeps on asking me about you for some reason. It's kind of weird, but I think she is just as interested to see what you all are up to as I have been. Thank you for not telling Mako and Bolin._

_Korra_

* * *

_Dear Korra,_

_It's nice to be talking to you again, too! Things have been pretty quiet here too. Since we have finished all of the infrastructure projects, there is not much I need to be involved in regarding Future Industries. The way the company is right now, it basically runs itself. They just installed your statue in the park and it looks great! ~~When I miss you, I go sit by it so at least some part of you is with me.~~ I'm glad to hear that your bending is improving. Even if you aren't fully back to where you were just yet, it's still a start. Like I said before, it won't be easy, but I believe in you. I haven't heard much from Mako or Bolin lately, so I just assume they are busy with their jobs. Mako did say something about being promoted to Prince Wu's bodyguard a while ago and was so excited about it. He clearly has never heard of the prince, so he will be in for quite a surprise when they meet. I have been thinking about going to visit my dad. Not really to talk to him, but to tell him that he needs to stop sending my letters. ~~I can't stop thinking about you.~~ I miss you and I believe in you. Tell everyone hey for me! _

_Asami_

* * *

_Dear Asami,_

_So what I am hearing about your business is that you finally have time to relax? Cause you definitely deserve it with all of the stuff you have been doing. I didn't get much sleep last night. The visions kept me up... I tried to go into the avatar state again when I woke up and still couldn't. And again, everyone just kept on telling me everything would be okay. I don't know. I have been thinking about it and maybe I need a change of scenery. It's not like I have to do any more healing sessions with Katara, so there really isn't any real need for me to stay here. Still, I'm not sure if I am ready to leave quite yet. ~~If I am being honest, I mainly want to come home so that I can be around you.~~ I really just wish that you were here so that I could talk to you about all of this stuff in person. You are always so easy to talk to and you just get me better than anyone else does. Hopefully, I will see you soon._

_Korra_

* * *

Dear Korra,

As much as I would love for you to come back soon, even if you don't I will understand. I miss you so much, but you can only do this on your own time. ~~I love you. I wish I could hold you in my arms at night when you have nightmares so you would feel safe.~~ A change of scenery might help. Whenever you decide is time for you to come back, I will be waiting for you. How have you been doing since I last heard from you? Have you been able to go into the avatar state yet? I have been making a list of restaurants that I want to take you to once you get back. My treat! There are so many new places downtown and I think you would love every single one of them. I talked to my dad, which was harder than I thought. Maybe I should give him a chance. I can't wait to hear back from you!

~~Love,~~

Asami

* * *

Dear Asami,

No, I still can't go into the avatar state. But I've decided I will leave for Republic City within the next few days. I'm sailing off by myself, so it will probably take me a while to get there. I don't know why, but I am kind of nervous to see everyone again. But I am also so excited. I still have a long way to go, but I really do think that being back with all of you guys will help me. I also can't wait to try out all of those new places you told me about. And once I am there, you and I can talk all about the things I have missed. If you help me, I will help you figure out what to do about your dad. Deal? (I will help you with your dad regardless) I can't wait to see you!

Korra

* * *

Dear Korra,

I will be waiting at the pier for you so that I can help you get settled in. I have been having a pretty rough day, so getting your letter really lifted my spirits. And of course, I will help you Korra. I will be by your side through the good and the bad. No matter what happens, you can count on me. I can't wait to see you!

Asami

* * *

Dear Korra,

It's been a while since you told me you were coming back to Republic City. I'm not sure what happened or if you are here and just haven't reached out, but I am getting concerned. Even if you aren't ready to see me yet, just let me know you are okay.

Asami

* * *

Dear Korra,

Okay, it's been almost a month and still no word. Are you okay? 

Asami

* * *

Dear Korra,

Since I haven't heard that anything has happened to you, I am going to assume that you are alright. I hope you get this. I wasn't sure which address to send this too. I miss you so much. If you don't want to see me, just tell me.

Asami

* * *

Dear Asami,

I decided to wait a few months to come back. My parents will be leaving for Republic City in a few months, so I will just ride back with them.

Korra

* * *

Dear Korra,

Okay, thank you for letting me know. I am so excited to see you!

Love,

Asami


	6. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place a little less than a year after the "Rise of the Empire" comics. Things in the world of the avatar have calmed down, and Korra and Asami finally decide to build themselves a new home. While helping Asami move things from her house, Korra finds the letter that Asami never sent.

With the help of Prince Wu, elections had taken place all over the nation, finally giving the people some say in their government. Since then, the world had been pretty peaceful considering everything that had happened in the years leading up to this historical time. The avatar was not needed as much as she once was, which was odd for Korra. But she didn't mind. She knew that this restful time would come to an end at some point, so she spent all of the personal time she had with the love of her life; Asami. It had been a little over three years since the two women had confessed their love for one another, but their love was still just as exciting and stronger than it had ever been.

Given the world's newfound sense of peace, Asami and Korra decided to build a house for themselves. Sure Asami loved her family home, but it brought along with it too many bad memories. It was time for the two to create new memories in a home of their own. 

They found a nice spot on the edge of town, just far enough where they could find some peace and quiet while still being close to the city. Asami designed the house herself. It was much more quaint than her mansion; both of them agreed that having that much space was unnecessary. In the front was a long driveway and garage where Asami could store and work all of her company's new Sato-Mobiles. In the back was a beautiful garden with a small pond in the center where Korra could peacefully meditate. They decided to build some extra rooms for when they decided to have kids of their own. Even though they hadn't been married yet, there was no doubt in either of their minds that they would spend the rest of their lives together and grow a family of their own.

Korra was helping Asami move things out of her family home to take to their new house. Asami assured Korra that she had people to take care of it, but being ever so caring as Korra was, she insisted on it.

The mansion had been mostly cleared out except for a few rooms upstairs. While the rest of the crew moved things from the other rooms, Korra decided to focus on the study. Asami was busy downstairs watching over the transportation and loading of her personal belongings so she sent one of the workers to bring Korra some boxes. The avatar began packing away all of the knick-knacks and books that studded the room. As she was digging through the drawers of the desk, she found Asami's old journal buried underneath piles of paperwork. She was tempted to open it and read it but stopped herself before she did. There wasn't anything more she thought she needed to know about the woman. As she placed the book into a box, a piece of crumpled up old paper slipped out. Korra picked it up and realized that it was a letter for her. She placed the box that was propped on her hip down and sat at the chair behind Asami's desk. She almost felt guilty reading it, but Korra saw the words "I love you" written on it and couldn't stop herself.

* * *

The rest of the rooms had been packed away and Asami had not seen Korra come down in quite some time. She decided to go check on her to see how things were doing. The door to her study was a jar, and sitting at her desk, she could see Korra.

"Korra", Asami said as she knocked on the door. Korra didn't respond so Asami let herself in. "How are things-" she stopped herself when she realized the love of her life was crying. Worried that Korra was somehow having second thoughts, she rushed to her avatar's side. Those thoughts were pushed away when she saw her journal open in front of Korra and the letter she had written in a drunken stupor so many years ago in her hand. "Korra, are you okay?"

Korra sniffled as tears fell from her cheeks onto the paper. "I found this letter", she said as she handed the piece of paper to Asami. The woman knelt down so that she was on Korra's level. 

"You read it", Asami said softly. 

Korra shook her head up and down. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have, and I wasn't going to." She wiped the salty trails from her cheeks and stared at the woman next to her. "But then this note fell out and I saw it was for me, so I read it. And then I couldn't help myself, I read some of your journal." Asami did everything she could to hold back tears form her own. "I'm so sorry", Korra wept, burying her face into Asami's shoulder. She wasn't sorry for reading the journal, and Asami knew. She wrapped her arms around her love and they held each other close.

"You don't have to be", she said, her voice trembling. 

Korra lifted her head up so that she was looking into Asami's jade eyes, still holding the woman. "You loved me so much, and I didn't even write you back." Her words came out between sharp breaths. "I loved you too, and I didn't even know it. I was so stupid."

Asami shushed Korra as she rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. "Hey", she said, unable to hold back tears of her own. "It's not your fault. I could have told you, but I didn't. And you had so much you had going on. It just wasn't the right time."

Korra wiped her face again. "But it could have been different. Maybe if-" Asami stopped her. She couldn't bear for Korra to think about what could have been. Spirits knew she had thought about it a lot, and all it brought her was pain. A pain she wanted to stop Korra from having.

"We can't think about what could have been. All that matters is that we finally found each other and that we are together now." 

Korra gently wiped a tear from Asami's cheek and smiled. "I guess you are right." She let go of Asami and got out of the chair. Asami stood up with Korra and grabbed her hands. "Man", Korra laughed. "You really had it bad for me."

Asami laughed way louder than she meant to. She playfully slapped Korra's hands and said, "Oh, shut up." Asami lovingly brushed a loose strand of brown hair behind Korra's ear and leaned down to kiss her girlfriend's head. As she pulled her lips away from the gentle kiss, Korra pressed her forehead to Asami's.

"I love you", Korra told her girlfriend. She lifted her lips and kissed Asami. 

Asami pulled Korra into another warm embrace and told her, "I love you too. So much."


End file.
